UBC, FNU launch new courses on Indigenous-Canadian relationships, reconciliation

The University of British Columbia and First Nations University have both launched new courses with the intent of supporting reconciliation and fostering a shared understanding of Indigenous matters. UBC’s new course—Weaving Relations—uses a lens of Indigenous-Canadian relationships to provide participants with a foundational understanding of Indigenous histories, people, and contexts, as well as settler colonialism. The self-paced, online course will also be used as a foundational part of the Indigenous Design and Engagement in Applied Science and Land and Food Systems (IDEAL) certification, which will launch in 2025. FNU’s Advancing Re(al)conciliation course is designed to “educate through truth-telling and inspire action.” Learners will gain an understanding of colonial systems of oppression and the value of local Indigenous perspectives and approaches.